This article presents the views of a woman who has worked as a teacher of undergraduate students and serves as the volunteer president of the board of a statewide organization that provides, in a therapeutic, nonresidential setting, a middle and high school education to girls at risk of delinquent behavior. Teenagers today know that American culture's dominant values-- the incessant pursuit of material goods and the deification of wealthy celebrities--are shallow and rooted in nothing more than the aggrandizement of the individual self. Without a clear definition of freedom and without a national, communal purpose larger than this aggrandizement, America is incapable of inculcating the values of democratic citizenship into its children, especially adolescents. If society wants to prevent juvenile delinquency and ensure public safety, it is important to emphasize the positive rather than the punitive, to build healthy communities where teenagers can make positive contributions and play important roles.